Christian Schools & Parents Say Canada’s Bill 24 Puts Children at Risk for Sexual Exploitation

Religious schools and parents in Canada have challenged a law that allows students to start or join Gay-Straight Alliances at school without informing or seeking consent from their parents. The petitioners say the law is a threat to the safety of vulnerable and at-risk children.

In their court application filed this week, the coalition of independent schools and parents challenged the constitutionality of sections of Bill 24, “An Act to Support Gay-Straight Alliances,” alleging they violate the rights of parents and schools protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Alberta Bill of Rights.

Bill 24 was passed by the Alberta legislature in November 2017 to amend the School Act to make it illegal for the school principal to notify parents about their child’s involvement in student organizations, including Gay-Straight Alliances.

The petitioners include 26 faith-based schools in Alberta, including Jewish, Christian, and Sikh schools.

In a statement, the applicants said no-go zones for parental awareness will endanger the safety of children, especially the most vulnerable, and also undermine parents’ ability to support and protect their own children.

“There should be no secret space in our school where parents cannot know what is happening, or where parents have no say in the content or discussion. In particular, principals and teachers must be able to continue to advise parents when, how and where their children will be exposed to sexually explicit content,” stated Abigail Schimke, an applicant wrote in the court petition. “As a parent, it…